August Retiree's Corner

U.S. Air Force retired Master Sgt. Bob Barkalow from the South Carolina Air National Guard at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, is recognized as an honorary Chief Master Sgt., on Oct. 13, 2014 at an unknown location. Barkalow writes the monthly Retiree's Corner for the SCANG's eNewsletter. (U.S. Air National Guard courtesy photo)

I estimate we had around 65 folks at our July Luncheon. Jeff Osmer came all the way from Mt. Pleasant. It was good to see him. Our featured speaker, Lt. Col. Chris Gamble, the 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, gave us a complete rundown on the unusual maintenance problems they had while in Sweden, plus he fielded many other questions. It was a great Luncheon and he did a marvelous job.

McEntire History: While doing some research, along with the assistance of Nelson McLeod, we uncovered that one of our members, Archie S. Thorpe Jr., joined the Air Guard July 17, 1949, at 17 years of age. He subsequently was called up for the Korean conflict as a corporal assigned to the Utility Flight, 157th Fighter Squadron. Later, he was called up with the Berlin Crisis group, this time as a technical sergeant assigned to Headquarters, 169th Fighter Group. And yet later, he was part of the Desert Storm deployment as a master sergeant assigned to the 169th CAMS. Assuming he retired on his 60th birthday, he contributed 42 and a half years as a SCANG Member. I bet he went on other shorter deployments such as Panama, Hawaii, England, and Norway. I don’t think anyone can match this record of length of service and activations. In fact, in my June Retiree’s Corner, I left off with Tech. Sgt. Archie S. Thorpe Jr., who had a nickname of “Mutt.”

So it’s back to the Berlin Crisis deployment folks, which we are still recognizing the folks assigned to Headquarters, 169th Fighter Group. Rank will be at the time of deployment and if I have any information on these individuals it will be under the Remarks column. If I have no information on them, then it will be left blank, usually meaning they were one-term members.

NAME

REMARKS

Staff Sgt.

Peter O. Allan

William D. Bouknight

Retired in 1990 as a CMSgt

Harold E. Guerry

Retired as a colonel in 1990

Richard E. Huffstetler

Retired as a SMSgt in 1984, ran the McEntire canteen for a while

James B. Kelly Jr.

Jimmy W. Nelson

Harry O “Jack” Nichols Jr.

Retired as a Maj. in 1985

William E. Padgett

Charles H. Risinger

Trezevant T. Timmons

Retired as a CMSgt in 1994, ended up in the civil engineer squadron

Deleon R. Wallace

Retired as a CMSgt in 1992

Raymond E. Williams

Airman 1 Class

Johnny L. Bedenbaugh

Julian F. Branham

George B. Brazell Jr.

William N. Cobb

Retired as a CMSgt in 1999, became a Senior Enlisted Advisor

John P. Fruit

Pinckney K. Holmes

Oda B. Kelley Jr.

James L. Kyzer

John H. Lockman

Hiram H. Moseley

Hubert H. Paul Jr.

Retired as a SMSgt in 1995, he died 1/14/2009, on our Monument

Crosson K. Roland

Hal B. Tyler

Roland R. Wilson

Airman 2nd Class

James W. Carter

John Q. Caughman

Henry J. Corbin Jr.

Michael W. Edmonds

Fairy M. “Max” Fralix

I remember Max for being the president of the S.C. State Employees Credit Union

James E. Hunter

Rodney B. Kelley

Thomas B. Kinard Jr.

Heyward L. King Jr.

Gordon R. Vison Jr.

Tommy B. Wessinger

John W. Williams Jr.

David E. Wilson

Airman 3rd Class

Robert C. Aiken Jr.

James K. Ball

George D. Brown

William C. Clough

Birkett L. Floyd

Henry W. Kennedy

Houston D. Mason

David A. Mitchell

Charles R. Moseley

Robert E. Palmer Jr.

James E. Rawls

Ellison D. Smith III

William D. Sword

Charles L. Wooten

Airman Basic

James D. Fanning

William Howard Jr.

William B. McGill Jr.

John D. Monroe

Francis E. Toledoano Jr.

Charles W. Wooley

I apologize in advance if I missed a Retiree, but with so many names and lists floating around me and my head, and without massive amounts of research time, it becomes hard and tedious. If anybody spots a missed Retiree, please let me know, I’ll check it out and publish the Retirees name at a later date.

Our next Luncheon is August 6 at the Fort Jackson NCO Club at noon, come see us. The food and banter is always good.